The present invention relates generally to the monitoring of a liquid level in a channel or container for detection of an overflow condition. More particularly, the present invention relates to monitoring the water in a gutter to determine whether the water has risen to a level indicating that the gutter is obstructed.
Liquid is often stored and moved in a wide variety of industrial and domestic applications. The fluid nature of liquids requires the monitoring of the liquid level in many applications. For example, when a liquid such as water flows through a channel or valley, it is often necessary to ensure that the channel does not become blocked, causing overflow of the liquid out of the channel.
One apparatus which involves the flow of liquids is the gutter. Gutters provide channels oriented to facilitate flow of liquids through the channels. Gutters are assembled in various configurations and used in a wide variety of applications. Some gutters are molded or built into a structure, while others are mounted or otherwise attached to a structure. Gutters are often attached along the perimeter of a roof of a building such as a house. In some instances, gutters are also mounted or built into central parts of the roof a house.
Gutters prevent damaging rainwater from running across windows, doors, down the siding and into a building such as a house. Gutters also channel water away from the foundation of the building, reducing the chance of soil erosion and damage to the foundation. Therefore, properly flowing gutters are important to the long-term well being of the building.
Gutters can be blocked by debris which has fallen into the gutter. In other situations, flow problems can be design related. For example, gutters may have been improperly sized with respect to the area and slope of the roof and the prevailing weather conditions. Also, there may be an insufficient number of downspouts, the gutters may have been improperly pitched when installed, or the gutters may need re-pitching due to settlement of the house or roofline having bowed or warped over time.
Regardless of the underlying cause of gutter flow problems, liquid is prevented from properly flowing through the gutter to an outlet or drain for proper disposition. As liquid continues to flow into the gutter, the liquid level rises. The liquid level will continue to rise until some breaking point is reached.
The breaking point for an obstructed gutter with rainwater is often the overflow of water from the sides of the gutter. A number of problems can then occur. Excessive water rots wood and increases mold and bacteria growth. This growth can result in health issues for those living in the dwelling. In addition, as water flows over the side walls of the gutter and lands on ground underneath the gutter, soil will erode. Such erosion can cause damage to the surrounding landscape and even the structural foundation of the building. The buildup of water in the gutter can also lead to direct damage of the gutter itself and the structure to which the gutter is molded or attached. This damage is often in the form of the gutter collapsing or breaking into pieces, and being forcibly detached from the structure.
When gutters are clogged, it is often difficult for an individual to determine the location of the obstruction. Viewing the gutter from below, such as the ground beneath and offset from the side of a building roof, an individual may see water overflowing from the gutter along the length of the gutter. However, the individual cannot easily ascertain the location along the gutter where the water flow is obstructed. Thus, the individual is required to climb a ladder, onto the roof, or otherwise elevate himself to a location above the gutter to look down into the gutter and ascertain the obstruction point.
Some mechanisms have been proposed to prevent the obstruction of gutters from reaching an overflow condition. One conventional mechanism is a wire mesh or other screen placed over the gutter to block debris and particles from entering the gutter. These devices simply operate as a prevention mechanism and do not provide for the detection of an obstruction. Furthermore, smaller particles will often slip through holes in the mesh or screen into the gutter and eventually cause an obstruction. Electronic devices have been proposed for monitoring gutter water levels. However, these devices require connection to a power supply and can encounter electrical troubles when exposed to liquids such as rain falling on the devices.
Thus, there remains a need for a gutter overflow detection device and system for detecting an overflow condition, alerting an individual that an obstruction has occurred, and providing guidance as to the location of the obstruction.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an overflow detection device is capable of determining whether liquid outside of the device has reached a predetermined level associated with an overflow condition. The overflow detection device includes a container with an enclosing wall which extends from the closed end to the capped end to define an interior region. One or more holes are formed in the enclosing wall. The holes are positioned a predetermined distance from the closed end of the container. The holes permit flow of the liquid into the interior region of the container when the liquid level reaches the predetermined level. A flotation piece is situated in the interior region of the container. The flotation piece is capable of floating on liquid which has flowed into the interior region. A visual indicator piece is integral with the flotation piece, so the visual indicator piece rises with the flotation piece.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an overflow detection device includes a container which has a closed end and a capped end opposite the closed end. The container has an enclosing wall which extends from the closed end to the capped end to define an interior region. A plurality of holes are formed in the enclosing wall. The holes are positioned a predetermined distance from the closed end of the container. The holes permit flow of the liquid into the interior region of the container when the liquid level reaches the predetermined level.
A flotation piece, provided according to aspects of the present invention, is situated in the interior region of the container. The flotation piece is capable of floating on liquid which has flowed into the interior region. A visual indicator piece is coupled to the flotation piece by a shaft extending through a hole formed in the capped end of the container. The shaft and visual indicator piece rise with the flotation piece when the level of the liquid contained in the interior region of the container rises.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the overflow detection device is situated in a gutter for determining whether water in the gutter has reached an overflow condition. The container is mounted such that the container extends at least partially into a valley of the gutter. The closed end of the container is situated in the valley of the gutter. The container is positioned with respect to the valley of the gutter such that the holes permit flow of the gutter water into the interior region of the container from the gutter when the water level reaches a predetermined level. The flotation piece rises responsive to rising of a level of the water contained in the interior region. The visual indicator piece rises with the flotation piece.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the gutter overflow detection device is one part of an overflow monitoring gutter and drainage system. The overflow monitoring gutter and drainage system further includes one or more gutters attached along a roof of a building, and one or more drains attached along a wall of the building. Each drain has a first open end in fluid communication with an opening formed in a valley of the gutter, and a second open end opposite the first open end for disposing of the water. One or more of the containers described above are situated at locations in the gutters for determining whether water at the locations has reached an overflow condition.